Novak Djokovic gained a report seventh ATP Finals title with a dominant victory over Jannik Sinner that marked one other milestone in his memorable season.
The Serb, 36, who misplaced to the Italian within the group stage, avenged that with a 6-3 6-3 win in Turin, Italy.
He has set information in rankings and titles this 12 months and performed a few of his greatest tennis in opposition to the children – like Sinner – making an attempt to problem him.
“Among the finest seasons I’ve had in my life, little doubt,” Djokovic stated.
“It is very particular. To crown it in opposition to a hometown hero in Jannik this week is phenomenal,” he added in feedback to Amazon Prime.
“Tactically I performed in a different way right this moment than within the group stage in opposition to Jannik. Total, an exceptional week.”
Earlier than the singles remaining, there was British success within the doubles when Joe Salisbury and American companion Rajeev Ram retained their title with a straight-set win over Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos.
Djokovic ‘steps it up’ in opposition to Sinner
World primary Djokovic had been tied with Roger Federer on six ATP Finals title wins, nevertheless it was clear from the outset in Sunday’s remaining that he was hungry to take the outright report.
He established management with an early break and dropped simply two factors on his serve in an virtually flawless show to take the opening set.
A break to like within the opening sport of the second set put Djokovic additional forward and made Sinner’s dream of changing into the occasion’s first Italian champion in entrance of a loud house crowd appear inconceivable.
Sinner’s first break-point possibilities got here within the sixth sport of the second set when he went 15-40 on the often impenetrable Djokovic serve, however the 24-time Grand Slam champion swiftly snuffed out the risk by forcing his opponent into errors from the again of the courtroom.
Djokovic had the prospect to go a double break up within the following sport however, in a uncommon second of fallibility, as an alternative missed a simple volley earlier than Sinner held with an ace.
However he obtained his likelihood within the Italian’s subsequent service sport, with Sinner tamely handing over victory with a double fault on Djokovic’s first match level.
It was a far cry from the Italian’s efficiency in opposition to the Serb on Tuesday, when a victory in three units ended Djokovic’s 19-match successful streak.
However this was additionally a unique Djokovic to then, with the Serb constructing on the sensible efficiency he put in in opposition to world quantity two Carlos Alcaraz in Saturday’s semi-finals to ship an impressive show underpinned by him successful an enormous 91% of first-serve factors.
“The best way Carlos and Jannik have been enjoying, I needed to step it up,” stated Djokovic, who should now absolutely go into subsequent season as favorite to dominate but once more and try for but extra information.
Djokovic hits one other milestone in a record-setting 12 months
This 12 months has been stuffed with information for Djokovic and so it appears solely becoming that his tour season ought to finish with one other at an occasion the place he was already its oldest champion.
Sunday’s victory pulled him forward of Federer for titles gained on the ATP Finals, whereas he was confirmed as year-end males’s world primary for a record-extending eighth time earlier within the match.
This 12 months he additionally surpassed Steffi Graf’s report for probably the most weeks spent on the high of the singles rankings, along with his tally now about to face at 400 from Monday.
Djokovic gained three of this season’s 4 Grand Slam singles titles to overhaul Rafael Nadal’s males’s tally of twenty-two and draw stage with Australian Margaret Court docket’s all-time report of 24.
That included a record-extending tenth title on the Australian Open – which is the place in January he’ll get the prospect to change into the outright report holder with a twenty fifth main.
His French Open victory in June made him the one man to win a profession Grand Slam – all 4 main titles – 3 times.
And this 12 months he additionally set a report for many Grand Slam remaining appearances with 36, two greater than Chris Evert’s earlier mark, and earlier this month he gained a record-extending seventh Paris Masters trophy for a record-extending fortieth Masters title.
Whereas his tour season is over, Djokovic’s enjoying season continues subsequent week on the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, Spain, the place he’ll lead Serbia of their quarter-final in opposition to Nice Britain on Thursday – a tie which you’ll be able to watch on the BBC and comply with with reside textual content commentary on the BBC Sport web site.
